My small group had just begun a study of the book of James. After the opening few minutes of “Who was James?” and “Why did he write the letter?” questions, we dug into the first main topic that James covers. Trials and Testings. This passage, James 1:2-18, was particularly appropriate to our small group at the time. Every couple represented in that living room was walking uphill. Different hills, but uphill seasons nonetheless.
At one point, a question came to my mind and I blurted it out before I could stop myself: “What do you guys know about resistance training?” Now, let me set the stage for you:
- I asked a question about something I had only heard of
- I have been to a gym twice in my life and the second time was to buy a membership for my daughter
- FOUR of our group members are physical therapists
- I’ll give you to the count of ten to stop laughing at the irony I just created!
One of the therapists gave a simple explanation of what happens in resistance training and it was in that explanation that the entire group experienced a clear message from God. He said that resistance training is about exercising a muscle in a way that the muscle will break down. Then by allowing the muscle to heal, it will actually grow bigger. Guess what phrase everyone heard!!! Exercising the muscle in a way that it will break down.
Yeah, we all just sat there in silence for a minute or so. God was using each of our circumstances to break us down, not to hurt or injure us, but to allow us to grow stronger.
Now, we all already knew that in our heads, but the imagery of a muscle breaking down helped get the knowledge just a little bit deeper into our soul.
